and get out of the heat, caroline. >> i will do that. >> julie: it is an extraordinary scene. i must say that sure all of you in the panel agree, but you can't help but feel the echoes of 1963 and 1968, of jackie kennedy and bobby kennedy and similar processions laying to rest. a different deal. as we said before jack kennedy was 46 are sold when he was buried. bobby kennedy was 42 years old. ted kennedy was 77 years old and he got to live a full life. >> he mentioned president kennedy earlier, and bob and jack were cut short in life. ted kennedy never became president but if you look at the two dare both icons for their respective parties. ronald reagan became president

30 years ago, and the republicans today still revere his memory and his inspiration to so many. teddy kennedy has been in the senate for 47 years, for us in the democratic party has been the icon. i think as time moves forward he will be remembered in much the same way to democrats that ronald reagan is to republicans doing before i talk to others on the panel, you all want to join in, i may bring in janice page of the boston globe was watching this on tv from boston. she has been involved in several projects about senator kennedy. janice, you said to me earlier you were not surprised that the outpouring in boston among the home crowd. are you a little bit surprised that with teddy kennedy, not to say he is a visitor in washington, but obviously a lot of people here don't have any particular ties, any hometown ties to ted kennedy. are you surprised at the outpouring of respect and affection for him here? >> no. i think all americans love a good story.

the kennedys are an epic story. you heard from some people that they're there to witness history, even the ones who do not make the connection personally to ted or did i think that's part of it. i think this is a chapter, a really significant chapter what happens next the kennedys is debatable, but this is a significant event, and i think it captivates americans. he was certainly -- the things he was involved in, the achievements in his life, were far beyond massachusetts. it doesn't surprise me. >> julie: i have to ask you janice, as an on the sunday boston globe, it was my first job out of college, as the paper been going crazy the last few days? >> crazy, i don't. there is a word actually to express it. but there is so much going on so much pride in the state right now and so many emotions, different emotions in the heart of ted kennedy's life, which of course the globe has covered

front to back from the day he was born until here. that it is a story that as crazy as it makes newspapers and journals, you also have to really treasure it, it is moments like this are when journalism actually understand the importance of it. >> chris: janice page, think is so much for your insights. for your analysis. thank you. i know you'll continue to watch the burial ceremony and we very much appreciate your participation in our coverage. let's bring in policy hand worked as a kennedy senate staffer back in the 70s and he joins us from newton, massachusetts. he has watched this on tv. paul, your thoughts on what has played out here in washington this afternoon. >> i have mixed thoughts on it. i am truly at surprised at the size of the crowd and with the heat and humidity, one of the

things that drove me back to cape cod. but on the other hand, i guess i'm not surprised. ted kennedy was a senator for america. he picked up obsolete as brother robert scotland, and the things he stood for or national and international. the things he fought for have to do with people all across this country and people in other lands. so now, i'm not really terribly surprised by it, other than the fact that it gets pretty hot and humid for those of us from cape cod when we go to washington in august. >> chris: that's why some of us go to your part of the world, or at least martha's vineyard in the summer to get away from it. paul sheehan, we want to thank you so much for your thoughts today on this special sad but very special day as well. and very much.

what is happening right now, quite frankly we cannot see the procession because we don't have cameras every step of the way. but i can give you a little geography lesson. it's heading down constitution avenue along the national mall, means it will go past that hasn't already the washington monument, there you can see, past the washington monument, pass the new world war ii memorial, pasty be a non-veteran's memorial, and around the lincoln memorial we will begin to see the procession and again. it'll make occur from the left-hand side as you look at the picture right past the lincoln memorial since we've already memorial bridge which if you haven't been to washington, i don't think it is without question the most beautiful bridge in washington. it is exactly the same route that jack kennedy and bobby kennedy took on the way to their final resting place. then it'll had to arlington national cemetery. brian wilson is just outside arlington cemetary now. brian, i get the sense from what

i'm saying the crowd is really beginning to build up there and the anticipation must be as well >> there is a trend is crowd that has gathered here on memorial drive and across the memorial bridge as i looked down toward the lincoln memorial. and they are here in anticipation of having that moment as the procession comes by with a can have their moment to pay their respects to senator edward kennedy mentioned before as they move into the ground goes from it public affair to a private affair with very rare exception those who attend the burial service on the grounds here in the grounds of the national arlington cemetary of the family members. one exception is vice president joe biden whose motorcade just came through hear a few moments ago. we are told it will be a solemn service. we were supposed to have this around 5:00 pm. as you know the schedule has slipped throughout the day. it is now getting very, very close to sundown here at arlington national cemetery.

the makings of a beautiful sunset on verizon seem to be in play, and it could well be that this burial takes place at dusk or little after, would you think would be rather unusual by arlington standards. but nonetheless, it'll probably be a very beautiful picture as the sun sets in the west and senator edward kennedy is buried here at national cemetery. >> chris: i think the only nighttime ceremonial, ariel that's ever been held at arlington, was for robert kennedy back in 1968. as you remember that whole evening, or hold event, went way behind schedule. they brought him down after the funeral service at st. patrick's cathedral which ted kennedy delivered a stirring eulogy. they put him on a train and came from new york to washington, and thousands, perhaps millions of people crowded on both sides all the way from york to dc, and in

fact tragically at one point some people got too close to the train and were struck. has resulted was hours late getting to union station. that was a nighttime ceremony. they had to hand out 1500 candles to the mourners. i don't know if they have provisions for candles tonight, but they may just need them. as you say it is beginning to get -- not yet quite, but it is beginning to get darker in washington. any closer to sunset. you can see the procession continuing down constitution avenue. and brian, will be back to you in the procession gets in your area. i cut you off j. winick because you're in the middle of saying something a little bit ago. you're what you were saying? and if not, come up with something else. >> i guess i was thinking about the example of ronald reagan versus ted kennedy and you made the point, steve, that for reagan, he was for just for republicans and kennedy is just

for democrats to think what we see in the aftermath of such public events like this kind of public narrative, is now and we look back at ronald reagan, even the girls say he was a great president. they understand it. they sort of see the larger picture. where ted kennedy has had his detractors, and chris he talked about e-mails he got all week about his sins in his levels or his policy problems. i think they will look back in the day after others and upon reflection they will say he, too, was an important senator and an important part of our fabric. >> i think that's right. but my point really was -- and i think ronald reagan was a great president as well -- i didn't agree with him on many things, but i think he was somebody who stood for what he believed in. >> chris: barack obama said during the campaign he was a consequential president. a trans-rational president. >> by point is 30 years after he became president, and republicans still -- not just

republicans but mostly republicans still think of him as the leader of their party. i think for many years to come democrats will think of ted kennedy is the consummate leader and set the standard for the party. that doesn't mean he didn't work with republicans but who is someone who set a standard and he lived up to it in his public life every single day. >> chris: do we have -- let me just ask the control room, to have sound was to mark can hear what's going on there should because what's happening now, and this should be quite a track picture, you can see the procession has begun to make a left turn, and it is taking the curve around the lincoln memorial, then it will make this very beautiful drive across the potomac river, across memorial bridge. on its way down demario drive to where brian wilson is at arlington national cemetery.

let's let this display in a clear and give you an opportunity to feel what it would be like if you were standing on the street.

[ applause ] >> chris: uc d. beautiful

bridge, the two statues on the east and of the bridge, crossing the potomac. and at the end is a steep rise, arlington national cemetery, midway up that rises the gravesite of president john kennedy. even a nighttime when you drive around washington, you can see the little flicker of the eternal flame and over-the-top as the cost us -- the custis mentioned, this is very interesting, that's where robert e. lee's family lived and he left of course during the civil war, and in 1864, this is called the arlington house now. the secretary of war, edward stanton put a cemetery on the ground right up to almost the base of the house, because he wanted to make absolutely --

absolutely certain that robert e. lee's survivors would never get that house back and it would remain the property of the military and property of the union for history. but now as you can see, the procession is going across the memorial bridge, and then across a mortal drive -- straight across the oriole dr. and uphill onto the grounds of national -- arlington national cemetery. brian wilson, from your position you should see the procession heading your way to mac we're beginning to see the red and blue lights, chris, as they come across amara bridge. as long as i have been in washington i never tire of that youthful vistas of the city, and it's always a remarkable new sinker sessions whether they are in celebration or moments where we're paying honor attribute to someone in the city. and this is one of those moments where you just sort of have to stop and take any sites around you.

yes, we're beginning to see the motorcade pulled up across the way. i would say between hear and the washington monument, probably thousands of people have gathered along the route to pay their respects, and we expect that the procession, the cortege will come right through this area, past the public, past our little satellite city have set up for coverage today, and on into the grounds of the arlington national cemetery. as i said, the vice president came by a few minutes -- moments ago so we believe that's the route that will take today coming through. >> chris: i can to you about arlington cemetary. it not only includes what used to be the custis-lee mansion which is now called the arlington mansion. they obviously are not going to celebrate a confederate general, even one as great as robert e. lee. 200 acres surrounding it. 300,000 people have been buried at arlington cemetery. as many as 6400 burials each

year. c27 each day. i've gotten e-mails from people saying how is it that teddy kennedy can be buried at arlington, and my understanding is one, he is a member of congress, and two, he served in the military for two years in the 50s in your. particularly i think it's any member of congress can be buried at arlington national cemetery. quite frankly who's going to say to the kennedy family know, you can't bury him there. it will be a very special site. the three kennedy brothers reunited for eternity. the extraordinary setting for president kennedy. he is buried along with his wife, jacqueline kennedy onassis, and two children, patrick bouvier kennedy who lived for just a few days and i've been 1963, only a few months before president kennedy was struck down.

and then a stillborn daughter, who is never named, and they are all buried on the funeral plot along with the eternal flame and inscriptions from some of ted kennedy's speeches. and then a little bit to the side, 100 yards to the side, is the burial plot for robert kennedy, and i think people who go there, i know i certainly have been many times i've been there, always surprised at how simple it is. it's just a small white cross and a little marker at the foot of his grave. and then some distance away, a few yards away from areas where edward kennedy is going to be buried on this beautiful expanse of lawn leading up to the arlington mansion. as a civil war historian jay nicky must know about arlington national cemetery and its place in our national history see that it's quite at amazing place. during the civil war ibrahim

lincoln used to point across the river at what is not arlington house, and he would say if only those people would behave themselves, we would be involved in this great war. and there is an interesting cycle that we come here when we realized it was the custis house as well as the lead house he does lee's wife through marriage was actually the closest thing to a direct descendent from george washington. so ineffective candidate lincoln historical change the closer and the father of our country to arlington cemetary and there is a kind of almost poetry or poignancy to saying the three kennedy brothers taking their rightful place in this historic -- historical drama. >> chris: can you not see the procession now that's making its way onto a mortal doctor, brian? >> yes, i can and it does appear they will come close to the occasion here and slowly move through the crowd that has assembled on both sides of memorial drive. they're being very quiet at the moment and respectful.

they are just soaking up the moment. people we have been here talking to people as we prepared for our broadcast today, and they have come here from all over the area. some of them all over the country. it is still vacation time so there are a fair number of tourists in the area here. when i heard this was going to happen today, many of them just set aside today and said they wanted to be here to witness history. it is not often that you happen to be in a place and time where history is going to pass out before you, but that is exactly what will happen for many of the people that have gathered here today who wanted to pay her respects to ted kennedy, a man who they admired, amanda they feel is a part of something that is much bigger in the 60s as camelot was still underway with john f. kennedy and robert f. kennedy. and now the last brother of camelot goes toward arlington national cemetery is the son sinks slowly in the west and as

the light begins to fade here in the area, they are not here to have one final moment, their cameras are up in the air, the cell phone cameras are up in the air. they are starting to snap those pictures that they will send to the folks back home to set i was here on the day of the funeral. i was here the day they laid edward m. kennedy two rest at arlington national cemetery. it'll be a story they will tell for many, many years speak to you now, mayor ray flynn who is part of our panel, looking at somebody of the iconic pictures of the 60s, brian wilson just talked about camelot, that extraordinary moment in 1862 and there have been a lot of pictures shown that when jack kennedy was president of the united states, and this is really only for when you think about it was starting in 1963 so was only 11 months. robert kennedy was the attorney gen.

ted kennedy was the the senator from massachusetts. they were so young and so glamorous. it must've been a feeling that everything was possible, and that this was going to go on forever. >> chris, that's a good point. i grew up in a largely irish catholic community. i heard as a little boy for my mother -- my grandparents, immigrant irish, saying you know, no irish need apply. no catholics looking for a job can get a job in certain places in employment. there was that the barrier that we felt at that time that we grew up with. jack kennedy's election in 1960 that religious barrier. so there was a certain euphoria for jack kennedy. much like there is for barack obama when he got elected. >> chris: let's stop for a moment and send this as it passes.

[ applause ] >> chris: there you see the kennedy's waving from the windows at all of the people waving at them. both kennedys and spectators paying their respects to each other. they are saying thank you. but mayor flynn, i guess what strikes me is the poignancy of that. that in 1963 had these three, vital young man, and they seemed to have washington i a hold and 11 months it was kind. >> it disappeared. that's why you're looking at history here. perhaps an end of an era. we saw that in the late 50s, then 60 and 63, and 68, and then teddy now here today.

we are either looking at a remarkable chapter or closing a remarkable chapter in american politics. who knows. maybe a new chapter will open up for another group that comes along. quite frankly, chris, i don't think so. i think this is it. i don't think you'll see a political family that this united states ever again. first of all, the seniority situation. you have to get elected. teddy got elected at 30 years of age. that's been around a long time. i don't think that the family is there to follow hot -- to follow that same tradition. i think you really seen an end of an era in the united states. >> chris: i'm not sure going to agree with you on that one, mayor, because i was looking at some of those young kennedys have the window at the crowd. some of them ten, 12 years old, and you got to think that in a way perhaps they never felt it before, they'd realize what their legacy, what their tradition is, and perhaps, you know it will be handed to them anymore than it was handed to

jack kennedy -- >> it has to be a real call for public service and it's a different political environment now than it was when jack kennedy and bobby and kitty brand. it's a much nastier environment. quite frankly, i don't know whether a lot of people want to get involved in politics like they once did. i think the evidence of that is so few people voting. >> chris: let me point what you're saying there. that is the kernel fine. you can see the stones which apparently come from cape cod, and they let the grass grow up between them so it was like a scene in cape cod with rocks and the beach with the grass growing up between, and that's where john kennedy and jacqueline kennedy and there two small babies are buried. as you look at that picture, you look down the hill to all the headstones, all the crosses and then across the river to washington. to the right of that is you are

looking, is where bobby kennedy is very. then further to the right of that is where teddy kennedy is going to be buried. as we have said repeatedly, from that position on that hill looking across the potomac at washington, it is without question one of the most glorious sites in the city, in this country and in this world. and there you see the flag at half staff. that was the mention of the cost is family, the descendents of george washington, of robert e. lee, and now arlington house. and that is what overlooks and is lit up at night, that is what overlooks the kennedy burial site. j. winick you are a historian, you are paid to be able to put this in perspective. your thoughts about the kennedy family and whether it can regenerate itself. >> i'm not sure it can regenerate itself and i'm not sure the american people wanted to regenerate itself, which is it to say that isn't a great deal of love or affection are reverent for them but america is

not a land of dynastic families. on the other side of the aisle have the bushes. in a sense they're kind of creating their own dynasty. if you remember the narrative during the election, with the clintons it was often said we don't want the clintons because we don't want a third dynastic family in america. but if a young kennedy decides to throw his or her hat into the ring i have no doubt they will be welcomed with open arms. they will probably have to fight and claw for it, but there is a kind of dynamism and almost magic to that name and i think there always will be. >> chris: as you look at the headstones, i do give you background arlington national cemetery as we said 300,000 people are buried there. it's the second-largest national cemetery in the united states. two presidents, check kennedy of course and i could ask all of you we can put it to be a game at home to know who the other president was who is buried there -- mark it's william howard taft.

while supreme court justices. the seven astronauts from the challenger disaster. three of the seven from the columbia disaster. countless thousands upon thousands upon thousands of american and in women who gave their lives pending freedom. the tomb of the unknowns. again, if you have never been to washington, an absolute must see. there incidentally the very simple. a place of robert f. kennedy. just about 100 yards or so from where his brother jack is buried. the tomb of the unknowns where there is an honor guard but is there 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through rain and snow and sun and heat and cold. it is sacred ground. it is hallowed ground here or it is part of the american story. and there you see a sign pointing to the tomb of the unknown.

if you have been, go again. if you haven't been, please visit. it will give you goosebumps and a sturdier blood and make you very proud to be an american. i know it always does for me and my family and over the course of their lives drag each of my children in the heat of a washington summer to see it all and they began by oh, death, and by the end they all say you know what russian ark is prequel. steve, your thoughts? >> he mentioned secretary stans and who said let's make mr. lee's 200-acre farm on perhaps the most beautiful vista in the entire area, a graveyard so that they will never forget. that's hardball politics. these numbers of congress go home and have a town hall meeting and someone else at them and they think all my god, when you're talking about slavery by the country, and whether one mention on another, those are big issues.

these town hall meetings are integrated terms, nothing. >> chris: we did mr. bester, the superintendent, and establish the superintendent as well. we had him as a power player of the week on "fox news sunday" and he took me with some pride and some relish to show me the arlington house, and then to show me how close to the house that stanton had some of the union soldiers graves installed to absolutely make certain there is no way be lee family matter what happened to the country, the way the lee family was getting back to arlington cemetery. as you said it was hardball politics. there is no way they would reclaim that territory. major garrett is out of the rain and the wind in boston. he is in the comfort of a studio. i know, major, you want to jump in and give us your thoughts. please do signature. on the question of the next kennedy i want to share with our audience a conversation i had while waiting for two hours to get my live shot position.

i bumped into a man named howard penn. howard penn is the proprietor of the puritan tailor shop. one in hyannis and one in cape cod. he is the tailor to the kennedy family. he outfitted all the young boys, john, joe, teddy and robert in their first blue blazers. he is a regular visitor, had been for years, to the kennedy compound. as we were waiting standing alongside each other a complete accident he said that at the kennedy to keep an eye on for the future is teddy the third. teddy junior son. he is charismatic and artie told me he wants to get into politics. he knows the big university also go to, is already harbored, something like that, he has an eye on politics i just hung in our audience a man who has sowed the suits that have become part of american political legend and is known as family for literally decades, says the person to keep your eye on for the next great kennedy in american politics, is teddy the third.

just a conversation i had just outside the church before the funeral began. it seems worth offering in this conversation about the next kennedy. one other quick point, having covered the obama campaign, in the retelling of that endorsement, one thing that such a welcome surprise to the obama campaign is they believe that what ted kennedy was saying what caroline kennedy was sent to patrick kennedy was saying and that endorsement of barack obama was, for a while there may not be another candidate. so look to barack obama as the person to break that next great barrier in american presidential politics. as jack kennedy did in 1960 by breaking with bear fund said was the irish catholic barrier or simply the catholic barrier in american politics. so the obama team is believed with the closest they've developed with the kennedys, that virtual endorsement during the primaries, that they have a responsibility to that next great thing in american politics. it's a tough thing to live up too. the president is discovering just how tough it is right now in the rigors of the white house and his healthcare fight, but

they believe in some small way ted kennedy was saying there may not be an immediate replacement for this kennedy but that nothing in american politics could quite possibly be entered his mind was brought obama, and that's a burden that the president is not having to carry and live up too. and it's not a small one. >> chris: major garrett, thank you. i want make sure i have it straight. you talk about this new rising star we're talking about senator kennedy's grandson? >> yes, that's what howard penn said. >> chris: i'm going to put an early warning that on teddy the third. i don't know what election that will be. probably 2040 or something like that. >> you know him as my stomach and you get his card i've got 17 grandchildren there looking at some role in politics too. we would like to get a uniform down the suit down on the cape. >> chris: we are to have another generation of kennedy -plan connections in boston. i think we could be some kingmakers here.

baby we can make this happen. see mackinac, one of the things that has sort of gone right in america is the idea of a family tailor. not too many families have it. the kennedys do. mr. penn was very emphatic about st. keep an eye on this little kid. his impressive to me. he is a politician's natural style, even a very young age. i'll take it seriously. >> chris: if you take them seriously, major, so do i. let's give you a heads-up on a preview as to what will happen. what you will see now and what will obviously be the emotional climax of this extraordinary few days since ted kennedy died. he will arrive and you can see people now leaving the procession and having to the real site. the casket will be taken from the hearse by a military honor guard. eight members from the five military services, army, navy, air force, brains and coast guard. it will be set on a funeral beer

, cardinal mccarrick, the archbishop emeritus of washington, cardinal theodore mccarrick, conducted per service. it'll be fairly short about ten minutes. then a kennedy grandson, kylie kennedy, apparently teddy the third to get this assignment, kylie kennedy will speak for a couple minutes. there will be a three volley salute greeted tax laid by a bugler, and then the moment that always seems to bring out all the tears, when the flag is taken from the casket, folded ever so carefully by the letter he honor guard and presented to senator kennedy's widow, the key reggie kennedy. and then we are told the invited guests will be given white roses to lay at the casket to express condolences.

this should all, once it starts, the very brief ceremony. we're told the more than 15 or 20 minutes. certainly a part of history, just as we remember the burials of jack kennedy and bobby kennedy. somehow through eternity, edward m. kennedy will be joining them at arlington national cemetery. jay, your thoughts? >> i'm just wondering what the iconic image will be from today. if you think of jfk's april, it was a poignant almost touching moments when 50 planes flew overhead and then all of a sudden a camera panned jackie on nasa's kennedy and she was whispering to john jr. and all of a sudden he stuck out his hand and saluted his father. it just brought tears to everyone. that's an iconic image that will live forever. with rfk, they stopped off at the lincoln memorial where they had a choir was singing.

what will it be today? will it be barack obama, a black man, not president, spoke at the kennedy library russian mark will it be staffers clapping for the man who they love so much was not passing into eternity, or will it be something we see in the next 20 minutes? i know that two-tiers heads, historians of sort through this they will say this was the moment that captured it all. >> chris: we can see their the burial site for edward kennedy. they left so much of this open. while we have cameras and we will see if they have closed this part of the ceremony to the press. there are no reporters there. this is. for family and friends. you can see how many of them have gathered there for this short service. i was thinking and i can remember i was gosh, about 12 years old at the time.

jackie kennedy's funeral. that procession, that walking down the streets of washington, the case on with the horses being leaving the carrying a casket of jack kennedy, followed by that stony brave stoic jacqueline kennedy and flanked on one side by teddy on the other side, my body, and then the world's leaders behind them. charles de gaulle and haile selassie in the british royal family. quite an extraordinary international scene. of course he was the president of the united states. more personal, smaller, but just as moving in its own way or did there you can see some of the young people, some of the older people there who have been through this long day. the ceremony -- the ceremony, that funeral service in boston,

the long slow drive to the air force base in -- just outside of boston. the trip to washington. now the strip from -- this is so interesting. california governor arnold short snyder on the right side. you can see his wife, briere, and that's one of the schreiber brothers, i think it's anthony shriver in between them. it was so interesting and his tribute to kennedy, that big tough guy arnold schwarzenegger called him on cotati, and i'm sure that's what he was for all the family. not only for granted but all of the schreiber's and all of the children of robert kennedy and of jack kennedy and of the smiths. he was on cotati. and that of course -- it's been well told -- and of the extraordinary stories after the deaths of bobby and jack that degree to which teddy became the

youngest, the baby. as one of you said earlier the last shall be first. he became the center of the family and the patriarch of the family. as they have said in some of the -- and some of the eulogies, there wasn't a wedding, there wasn't a christening, there wasn't the birth of a baby that wasn't a school graduation for this enormous extended family that teddy kennedy didn't go to. i'm sure you must assume that during her time at the kennedy family, the degree to which steve mcmahon played a role as the picture of the family. >> back in the 80s when i worked on a senate staff, many of the people we're looking at today were just children just growing up area he really did become for many of them as surrogate father. his schedule is filled with political obligations and senate obligations but everything stopped when one of his nieces or nephews at an important moment in their life. he would go from a meeting with bob byrd the president to a

soccer game to a wedding and he was there at every single thing at every single moment. you heard it yesterday in a eulogy that caroline kennedy gave about how senator kennedy would get 25 of his nieces and nephews together for family trips. sometimes an impressive feat to see things of historical significance. he was there for those kids every day and they're there for him today. >> chris: she told a hilarious story last night in case you missed it about how one of the years he decided he would outdo his historic visit so he got a bus and got all of the kennedy nieces and nephews on it and went through boston and show them paul revere's house and obviously showed them some of the parts of their own history, how it fits. his grandfather's home, in places where rose kennedy, his mother had lived. he ended up getting special permission for them all to go to thompson island in the bay just off -- just outside the mainland of boston, that they would all

have an overnight area it was in the summer, incredibly hot and ugly. planes are taking off from logan airport. right over their heads. and as caroline said, humorously, and a little bit ruefully i thought, and then said he had -- it turned out he had a secret vote in the secret getaway and he got off the island and ended up in a suite at the ritz hotel where the ritz-carlton while that rest of the family had a lesson in the suffering of johnson island. not just complete and total devotion. he for them than for him. it's been one of the really sweet and heartwarming parts of this whole story that we have seen play out over the course of the last few days here it was a beautiful sight here as the sun begins to set and over there in the distance you can see that's the lincoln memorial and then off to the right the washington monument. and then hear in the foreground of course, arlington cemetery,

national arlington cemetery and the eternal flame were john and jacqueline kennedy are buried. mayor flynn? >> i was thinking, chris, i really enjoyed being on this panel today. think about all the people across the united states that are watching this, particularly young people. they have to be tremendously impressed with what they've just seen. it's not as contentious politics that they are growing up and, this is american democracy and work -- at work. i bet bill clinton probably watched this when he met jack kennedy, and i met somebody and you met somebody and everybody got somebody that had a big influence on her life. i bet there are a lot of young people across america today watching this and sank while, this is really great. this is really wonderful. this is -- i'm proud of my

country. i think it encourages people to have a better feeling about their nation, about their leaders, and this is really something that we desperately need and want more of. so this is a history lesson in the making. they have seen something here today they will never learn about in school or college. they will witness something even if they are not physically there, they're there for the power of television, that 50 years from now, 60 years from now, as i remembered jack kennedy, i bet there will be thousands and thousands of kids across his country saying i could tell you every detail of ted kennedy's funeral at arlington national cemetery. >> chris: we're looking at the back of vp joe biden, and his wife jill biden. as they are awaiting. president obama has gone back to his vacation in partisan year.

he was in boston, delivered the eulogy at the funeral this morning, but he has gone back to martha's vineyard and he is not coming to this ceremony. you know, it's interesting as he told that story, mayor, i remember i was in college break in the 60s and came down to washington and it turned out that was the weekend of like eisenhower's funeral. i waited on the street for hours and hours to watch the cortege go by to watch the hearse carrying dwight eisenhower and president nixon was president at the time and i saw him and felt absolutely thrilled. i was a college student. i wasn't particularly a supporter of president nixon's policy on vietnam at the time, but i think that's part of the point here. it transcends partisanship. it transcends issue. the great war hero dwight eisenhower, the president of the united states, richard nixon, you are thrilled to see them. >> that's why don't they get is

democrat republican. it crosses those lines. people look at his funeral today as they looked at reagans and kennedys. they look at it as an american story. they don't look at it as a political story. we will get back to the politics tomorrow. but today, this is the uniting story for this country. >> chris: steele county must feel that way too practice is not meant in any way pejoratively but here we are on fox news channel and we're basically putting a flag to half staff and we're honoring that every of a great senator. and tomorrow is mayor flynn said, we will be back to politics and it will be competitive again or maybe they have to do, but today we are remembering a great american, a very effective senator, for 2500 bills that bear his name. he was deeply effective as mayor flynn pointed out earlier, by the no irish need apply. his whole life is about breaking up their ears. you don't have to agree with his politics technology was there

for 47 years he worked his heart out every day. he got -- he did what he felt was the right thing for the country he was a very effective senator to finally we can see the hearse bearing the remains of edward m. kennedy making the curve, driving to its place just what was i his eternal resting place here trying to national cemetery. when we watch this and let it play out for us.

thought it would. we said we would show the money watch it. before you can see a picture of caroline kennedy she would obviously -- that's an interesting start because she had this mini run after hillary clinton was named secretary of state as to whether she would succeed clinton. there is patrick kennedy, the senator's youngest son and the carson from rhode island. caroline kennedy was going to succeed -- was thought to be appointed by governor patterson of new york to succeed hillary clinton and take her seat in the u.s. senate. we're told that ted kennedy was very much in favor of it. it didn't go well. as we found out you can have all the backing in the world and all of the bloodlines in the world but she did not do very well in

the way she seemed to handle the listening tour and the meetings with the press, and so that failed. but she has gone on and seems to be very happy in her life. i will tell you i was fortunate enough in march to be added earth day celebration that they had here in washington at the kennedy center. it was a couple weeks late for senator kennedy's birthday and that was hanging over at the time that this would be the last time we would see senator kennedy. it was any big symphony hall and the kennedy center and was a wonderful evening. kennedy love show tunes and there are all kinds of broadway stars, bernadette peters, and brian's, mitchell james palin was there, the fellow who played in les miserables was there and they all sang various songs. at one point caroline kennedy came on the stage and you thought all my gosh this is the first time she had been in washington since she had been

denied that senate seat, and you wonder how will she handle this. she looked up and the place was filled with washington dignitaries and she said what, i never thought i would be in a room with some of the senators. of course it brought down the house in a ready laugh and in that wonderful laughing at themselves candy wei, it just punctured the whole event. did he sat in his seat. he did not say a word. but you could tell he was thoroughly enjoying it. at the end of each performance the artist would, after singing a song, wave or salute kennedy, and he would wave and salute them. of course he was at this point almost a year into his brain cancer, and there was, as i say, this bittersweet sense that it was a wonderful moment but in moment that ted kennedy would never get to repeat again. at the very end, all of the -- you thought how can you top this -- all of the performers appeared on the stage and do that while iraq, they will sing

happy birthday to teddy. and who came out, didn't say a word but who came out and lead them in singing happy birthday, but president obama. the place i'm crazy. he led them in singing happy birthday. they all left he didn't say a word, and it was a very special night and in a sense in washington except one could say perhaps tonight as well, was ted kennedy's last her up. major garrett is in boston. major, anything as you can contribute until we wait for this ceremony to begin will be greatly appreciated. >> a couple things. j. winick asked what was the iconic moment. a semi-conversations here in boston, and i will leave it to historians to decide, but it may party happen. to some bostonians the iconic moment the iconic picture of the hearse leaving the kennedy camp -- compound at hyannis port gives you saw a rate all of the kennedys as they watched the casket put into that hearse and

drive away. now we know that compound is going to be for ever more and education facility and that is in. and the more the place it was in american politics. i will toss it back to you as the sermon is about to begin. >> chris: major, thank you so much. as we can see the honor guard is beginning to approach the hearse to take out the casket containing senator kennedy. we're not going to let you watch and listen to what happens.

said certain this is a good of the day because we know the sun will come back again tomorrow. and as we think of teddy we know that his new life begins and as we look at this great family, we are sure that new life is already beginning, and that new great things are happening. mr. vp, vicky, numbers of the

family, is for all of us, a very special time in our own lives in your life, and in the life of our country. so we begin in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit. amen. dear friends in christ, in the name of jesus and his church, we gather together to pray for edward m. kennedy, that god may bring him to everlasting peace and rest. we share the pain of loss but the promise of eternal life gives us hope, and therefore we comforted one another with these words. >> we read from it the letter to paul. a greeting from the letter